Contents

Usage

The Body Flicker Technique performed without smoke.

By using the Body Flicker Technique, a ninja can move short to long distances at an almost untraceable speed.[2] To an observer, it appears as if the user has teleported. It is accomplished by using chakra to temporarily vitalise the body and move at extreme speeds. The amount of chakra required depends on the overall distance and elevation between the user and the intended destination.

A puff of smoke is occasionally used to disguise the user's movements. Other elements or substances can be used instead to distract the opponent: Gaara uses sand for the Sand Body Flicker (砂瞬身, Suna-Shunshin); in Shikamaru Hiden, Sai uses ink for the Ink Mist Body Flicker (墨霞瞬身, Sumigasumi-Shunshin). Villages can even have their own variants, as in the Mist Body Flicker (霧瞬身, Kiri-Shunshin), Water Body Flicker (水瞬身, Mizu-Shunshin), and Leaf Body Flicker (木ノ葉瞬身, Konoha-Shunshin, Literally meaning: Tree Leaf Body Flicker).

Although the Body Flicker Technique is common to almost all shinobi, some are particularly renowned for their usage of it. Shisui Uchiha was feared as "Shisui of the Body Flicker" (瞬身のシスイ, Shunshin no Shisui); whenever he employed this technique, Shisui would fade away from sight, leaving no trace of his presence. In the anime, Shisui was also able to generate clones through the technique. When the Third Raikage utilised the technique, it looked like a bolt of lightning appeared and disappeared from the area. The Fourth Raikage often combined the Body Flicker Technique with the Lightning Release Chakra Mode which allowed him to dodge Amaterasu.

Trivia

There has been some confusion in some translations between this and space–time ninjutsu, but these are indeed different techniques, as this technique isn't teleportation, just an extremely swift movement.[2]